Press Releases
Golden Service for Ealing’s older people (PR 1210)
Under a new tough social care inspection Ealing Council has been given the highest rating to date for older people’s services in the country.
Ealing’s Adult Services which was named last year as the fastest improving in the country (from zero stars to a maximum three in just three years) has now been given the Commission for Social Care Inspection’s (CSCI) best score since the harder inspection regime was introduced in 2007.
The inspection which was carried out in February 2008 found that Ealing had excellent ‘capacity to improve’ and was delivering good services designed to support the independence of older people giving them greater choice and control in their lives.
The inspection report by the CSCI, published on Tuesday 6 May 2008, focused on three aspects of the Council work including, safeguarding adults, personalised services and ensuring equal access.
In its report the CSCI said Ealing had ‘a clear and ambitious vision that focused on the promotion of independence’ and the Council was ‘working well with its partners and people who use the services’.
CSCI also congratulated the Council on its ‘strong and effective leadership’ and recognised the ‘commitment to continually improve services with good year-on-year progress achieved’. This is stark contrast to the inspection in 2004 when the Council was told its services were poor and must improve.
Councillor Ian Green, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: "This latest inspection shows that our services can withstand the most rigorous of scrutiny. Due to the terrific commitment of the department’s staff we have been able to turn our services around quickly to deliver the highest quality care our older people deserve.
"However, for me the biggest reward is knowing that by improving services we have made a huge difference to the lives of real people. Thanks to our support many older people have been able to continue to live in their own homes and others have been protected from abuse and given the dignity to grow old safely."
In particular inspectors were impressed with the Council’s efforts to personalise the care of older people to give them greater choice and independence. One of the Council’s key strategies has been to invest in new technology and home based care services that allow older and vulnerable people to live in their own homes or at the extra care sheltered housing scheme.
The inspection team also found that effective working relationships between the Council and its partners at Ealing PCT and West London Mental Health Trust enabled flexible community based care services to be provided rather than more traditional services.